About Me

Growing up on a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin has given me a set of experiences that continue to shape me today. The biggest of which is an environment that cultivated an incurable curiosity about the world around me. This curiousity only grew stronger once connected to the internet in my adolescent years, especially when I saw how big and beautiful the world was and how many innovative ways there are to solve similar problems. I learned that comprehending context is key to defining success across so many unique environments.

Farm-life also gave me my first real product management experience. Living and working on the farm helped me to see there is an infinite number of ways to work towards an outcome but, with limited time and resources, we had to prioritize those which struck the prefect balance of risk mitigation and value adds. I learned that both the quality of our priorities and the quality of our day to day work  play key roles in achieving outcomes.

In addition, I learned that there are many variables outside our control, like bad weather and low milk prices, that can have devistating consequences on our finances.  By staying vigilant of our environment, learning from the past, and making data driven choices, I saw how our small family farm found success in mitigating risks outside our control.

 It was motivating to see all these connections and the financial implications, not only as a worker, but also as a stakeholder. This connection between the day to day work and it’s financial impact was motivating, even if it meant we had to hand-pick rocks from fields to avoid damaging expensive equipment. I’m eternally grateful for my time on the farm and even more grateful to have had such great Product Manager role models in my parents.